Maxwell Anderson
James Maxwell Anderson (* December 15, 1888 in Atlantic, Pennsylvania, † February 28, 1959 in Stamford, Connecticut) was an American playwright and librettist.
Life
Maxwell Anderson was born the son of William Lincoln Anderson, a traveling Baptist clergyman, and Charlotte Perihelia ( Stephenson ) Anderson. By the profession of the father, the family moved frequently and Anderson visited several schools in Ohio, Iowa, North Dakota and Pennsylvania. In 1911 he completed his studies at the University of North Dakota, in 1914 he obtained at Stanford University MA.
He first worked as a lecturer at Stanford University, then at Whittier College. Later, he spoke out for a career in journalism. He worked for numerous newspapers such as the Grand Forks Herald, the San Francisco Chronicle, the San Francisco Bulletin, then he moved to New York City and there wrote for The New Republic, the New York Globe and the New York World.
Anderson's passion were words, poetry and music. In 1921 he founded Measure, a magazine that undertook the verses. His first play, White Desert, was less successful, more failures followed. Only in 1924 he succeeded with rivals ( What Price Glory? ), Which he wrote in collaboration with Laurence Stallings, the first great success. This success enabled him to quit his job as a journalist and devote himself entirely to writing pieces. With his political Drama Both Your Houses, he won a Pulitzer Prize in 1933 and 1935 he received the New York Drama Critics Award for Winterset.
Anderson married on August 1, 1911 in Bottineau (North Dakota ), his former classmate Margaret Haskett. They had three sons, Quentin, Alan, and Terence. Margaret died on February 22, 1933 from cancer. In October 1933 Anderson moved in with Gertrude " Mag " Higger. On August 2, 1934, the daughter Hesper was born, later screenwriter. Mag committed suicide on March 21, 1953 suicide. Anderson married on June 6, 1954 again, Gilda Hazard.
Maxwell Anderson died on 28 February 1959 in Stamford (Connecticut ), two days after suffering a stroke. After his cremation, he was buried at the Anderson Family Cemetery, Meadville Crawford County Pennsylvania.
Plays and musicals
Filmography
Based Upon
Screenplay
Known lyrics
- " September Song " ( from Knickerbocker Holiday )
- " When You're in Love"
- " There's Nowhere to Go but Up"
- " It Never Was You "
- "Stay Well"
- " Thousands of Miles "